Expensive Haircuts
FRINGE BENEFITS
No harried receptionist or whir of assembly-line blow-dryers here. I'm greeted at the door by Monahan herself, who hands me flip-flops and a set of soft terry sweats and offers to order in sushi, Starbucks, whatever I want. "This is about pampering," Monahan says. Which also means no awkward scrambling for tip money later — she doesn't accept them. Before Monahan gets out her scissors, she zeros in on my problem areas and asks about my past hair frustrations and overall beauty goals. It's the first time I've really articulated what I want (easy-to-style hair, extra body) — a welcome change from the standard five-minute salon consult. Unlike other high-end hair gurus, she's not hawking aggressively trendy shapes: "I'm not trying to make my statement on your head."